Tag: HR

Happenstance ?

When you have three young CEO’s, one who works on water, one who understands Sentiment and one who optimizes health and leverages technology for the greater good, we’ll be as challenged in our beliefs as our assumptions are challenged, just as they have been. I hadn’t planned to bring three guys together, pure happenstance!

Sometimes, you’ve got to take a stand and question whether current thinking is perhaps a little warped – or still works

Sometimes it is not enough to ‘go with the flow, to feel you’ve met the brief, ticked all the boxes.

Sometimes you have to question the decisions you’ve made and continue to make and maybe re-evaluate if you’re getting the best outcomes from the decisions you’re making – which generally…. are being made using our past experiences and may not be reflecting current needs.

This day in two weeks time, we’re doing just that and getting to hear what some of today’s younger CEO’s are thinking. And we’re getting a male perspective too.

What does human centric really mean in the mindset of emerging leaders?

It has to be said that without the consistent encouragement and support of people like Jan Cooke, Events Manager for the Bank of Ireland, there are days I would just…. give up!!

Launching something new can be terribly exciting but once the novelty wears off, then the hard slog begins and having people around you like Jan and Montrose Branch Manager Gavin Leech makes all the difference. Their drive and interest in what you’re doing, where they can help keeps you going, as let’s face it, keeping momentum can be challenging. Talking of challenging…

On the 22nd March, we’ll be having our next breakfast meeting at the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Lounge, Montrose with a diverse panel of contributors to ‘Challenge Assumptions’. My vision for the breakfast meetings is simple: in bringing together HR and leadership professionals, we gain a better understanding of what’s important.

‘creating a culture of conversation’.

As we bring people together to work collaboratively within an increasingly multi-cultural workplace, we’re shaking things up with lively dialogue before the day has begun, great connections are made and amazing things unfold..

Later the same day, thanks again to the Bank of Ireland, we’re launching Much More Than Words ‘Multi-Cultural Exchangein the evening at the Trinity Enterprise Lounge. My vision here is building a collaborative community where non-native English Speakers working across a wide range of disciplines can boost their language competency and become more effective communicators, whilst using their skills to help other people. Again a place where it’s a WIN/WIN. Not everyone works for larger companies where training is available and this, we feel is a good way to help fill what our research shows is a much needed skills gap.

If you’d like to know more about what we’re doing, let’s talk! Janie Lazar: 086 857 2005

Feeding Feedback Forward – Dr. Annette Clancy of the Quinn School of Business was our Guest Speaker marking the launch our Breakfast Series for this year. To say she had us all thoroughly engaged would be an understatement – the room buzzing with plenty of lively dialogue and the feedback has been, well just fantastic.

Be it good, bad or indifferent, feedback is what I appreciate to make sure we’re on track and don’t make assumptions.

So in ‘the Words of Others’ .. here are a few snippets..

I was delighted to attend your networking event this morning – all speakers were amazing and really had something great to add to any organisation.ÁineO’Donogue

Well done. It was a great start to the day and the energy in the room was really engaging.Sarah Bird

Janie, I was glued to Annette’s every word! She is so dynamic and great at imparting her message. Mairead Dillon

And in my words– If ever you should have the opportunity to hear Dr. Annette Clancy speak, jump at the opportunity. Do not hesitate. She is a joy to hear, a consummate professional. To be inspired, to learn from someone who is generous with their knowledge and delivers a clear message in such a memorable way is a gift which continues long after its presentation. Janie Lazar.

Talking about making assumptions, our next breakfast event will be on the 22nd March at the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Centre, Montrose. If you want to be part of this next conversation ‘challengingassumptions’ you’ll need to book in online. Places will be limited. Booking advisable.

Human Emotions shape us. They shape us professionally and personally. They also have a stronger influence on our overall performance and satisfaction with life than we care to realize.

‘THE ORGANISATION AS AN EMOTIONAL ARENA’

Our 2017 Breakfast Series begins on the 18th January with Dr. Annette Clancy, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at UCD College of Business. She’ll share invaluable insights and open up the conversation with HR Specialists attending. If you can, join us for lively discussion around what we believe really matters. At a time when technology is fast replacing the need for human intervention, never has the importance of respecting the true value and potential of ‘our ‘human capital’ been more crucial along with the need for human connection..

Janie Lazar and Andrea Goldman of Much More Than Words hope you can make this early morning meeting. Space is limited, booking advisable.

‘Much More than Words’ focus on boosting communication skills in the Workplace – especially in organisations with a multi-cultural workforce. Having worked overseas, we know what it’s like to be competent, fluent even in another language and yet, not confident enough to fully engage and integrate effectively. Helping all employees through our integrated training approach to get up to speed faster and maximizes their true value and potential.

Human Emotions shape us. They shape us professionally and personally. They also have a stronger influence on our overall performance and satisfaction with life than we care to realize.

‘THE ORGANISATION AS AN EMOTIONAL ARENA’

Our 2017 Breakfast Series begins on the 18th January with Dr. Annette Clancy, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour at UCD College of Business. She’ll share invaluable insights and open up the conversation with HR Specialists attending. If you can, join us for lively discussion around what we believe really matters. At a time when ‘Donuts aren’t doing it any more’ never has the importance of respecting the true value and potential of ‘our ‘human capital’ been more crucial.

Janie Lazar and Andrea Goldman of Much More Than Words hope you can make this early morning meeting and our belief that as professionals, we can all make a difference in simply being human! Space is limited, booking advisable.

‘Much More than Words’ focus on boosting communication skills in the Workplace – especially in organisations with a multi-cultural workforce. Having worked overseas, we know what it’s like to be competent, fluent even in another language and yet, not confident enough to fully engage and integrate effectively. Helping employees through our integrated training approach to get up to speed faster and maximizes their true value and potential.

We believe we provide something more, something very different as we get into developing a stronger mindset giving another dimension to the Coaching and Training we provide. Boosting English Language competency where needed and honing essential communication skills for better teamwork, leadership and creative thinking.
The secret we believe is building up a mindset that encompasses 'thinking differently' so much so that it becomes second nature, a practice that enriches overall performance making for real connection in communication.

There was a time that providing employees with free donuts was enough to make them happy (if not healthy) and therefore harder-working and more loyal. Paul Feldman a successful economist in Washington made a business out of bringing in bagels and cream cheese to his team as a Friday bonus. He started leaving out a money basket to encourage them to contribute and ultimately left his job set up Bagel Day: the company which delivers the bagels: http://www.itsbagelday.com/

Employers nowadays are very aware of the benefits of non-monetary rewards and upskilling support for their employees. Developing new ways to keep staff loyal and motivated are an essential part of modern business culture. Companies have to work hard and smart to stem lightning fast and costly staff turnover. One solution is ‘the boomerang’ employee whereby companies can save retraining and ‘onboarding’ time and money by rehiring ex-employees who are tried and tested and already know the score.

And while many employees in the SME sector are jealous of their friends working in the modern multinationals, who can eat for free all day long at ice-cream nooks and salad bars, and then work off the calories at the on-site gym, even SMEs understand that employee engagement is a top priority, which includes a focus on the well-being and resilience of employees and developing the human side of the business. In 2015, British Petroleum distributed 24,500 fitbits to track employees’ health and wellness. According to the wearable technology report, around 2000 companies worldwide will offer their employees fitness trackers in 2016. (www.bloomberg.com/news/…/2015…/wearable-technology-creeps-into-the-workplace)

The kinds of offerings to keep employees engaged and effective are the bonding activities: such as team-building weekends, Paintballing, and to ‘To Hell and Back’ style challenges; health and wellness offerings: like Yoga, Tai Kwando, Zumba. Then there is the upskilling support that companies can provide or subsidise: everything from MBAs for top managers, to language lessons, presentation and speaking skills, to health and safety, IT training and so on; all in an attempt to keep the skills of your workforce up to date. And to keep your workforce.

Are your employees spending their working time sneaking onto social media? Checking their Facebook likes? Instagramming the antics of their co-workers? Forward thinking companies are turning this to their advantage and offering ‘Employee social advocacy programs.’

Many of these courses and supports can be provided (and received) tax-free if they are deemed relevant to the business i.e. ‘directly related to increasing the effectiveness of the performance of the director’s or employee’s present or prospective duties in the office or employment’ (http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/benefit-in-kind/other.html)